What you don't know about heavy metals and inflammation may be silently killing you

With so much press about the dangers of inflammation, many are already aware of its connection with a range of serious illness. And yet, the fact that heavy metal toxicity is at the root of inflammation oftentimes slips by unnoticed. The unfortunate truth of the matter is this: Until we address toxic metals within the body, methods to tame inflammation will simply be a stopgap measure.

Inflaming cellular pathways

Lyn Hanshew, M.D., believes that inflammation indicates heavy metal toxicity, which leads to the development of diseases such as arteriosclerosis, diabetes, asthma, hypertension, arthritis, colitis and hepatitis, as well as a slew of other degenerative diseases. When the toxic load of heavy metals turns critical, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid conversion pathways in cellular membranes become imbalanced, triggering a cascade of inflammation.

Additionally, due to the nature of heavy metals, important nutrients are blocked from absorption and assimilation. As observed by Dr. Hanshew, "the activity of the enzymes is also dependent upon nutrient co-factors such as Magnesium and Zinc. Toxic heavy metals, such as Mercury[,] specifically block the absorption and assimilation of these nutrients and thus can negatively affect the enzyme activity. Toxic heavy metals can also shift the equilibrium activity of Delta-6 desaturase to increase the production of GLA, DGLA and AA and decrease the production of EPA, DPA and DHA. This results in an increase of the pro-inflammatory mediators and worsens symptoms in illnesses such as arthritis and asthma."

Moreover, a review of the 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey discovered that cadmium exposure increases the risk for ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and hypertension, both of which are inflammatory conditions. The researchers examined the health reports of 1908 adults, aged 20 years and older, who participated in the survey. Age, income, education, smoking, alcohol, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure and blood lead levels, along with family history of hypertension, were taken into account. The team found a positive correlation between cadmium in the blood and increased risk of hypertension in men, and IHD in both sexes.

Uprooting the cause

If you would like to nip inflammation in the bud, detoxifying the body of heavy metals is essential. One of the best heavy metal chelators is zeolite. A mineral with a unique honeycomb composition that acts like a magnet toward heavy metals, zeolite draws toxins from the tissues and locks the offenders into its structure for safe removal from the body. Another heavy metal chelator is alpha lipoic acid (ALA) in the form of R-dihydrolipoic acid. Effective in rendering the metals inactive and safely expelling them from the body, ALA is also one of the few substances that can pass through the blood-brain barrier. For further information on this potent antioxidant, see here.

In the end, we can use turmeric, fish oils and other foods in the quest to conquer inflammation, but until we address the true source, we are simply treating the symptoms of a larger problem.


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